Coupling for cables, ropes, &amp;c.



, No. 706,393. Patented Aug. 5, |902.

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COUPLING FUR CABLES, ROPES, &c.

(Application filed Jan. 22, 1902.)

1f Fil (No Model.)

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TIIADDEUS DARLING,

OF MARIETTA, OHIO.

COUPLING FOR'CABLES, ROPES, 84.6.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent`N0. 706,393, dated. August5, 1902.

Application `tiled January 22, 1902. Serial No. 90,773. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom it may Concern:

Be it known that I, THADDEUS DARLING, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Marietta, in the county of Vashington and State ofOhio, have invented a new and Improved Coupler for Cables, Ropes, andthe Like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to improvements in couplers for cables, ropes, orthe like, and the primary object is to provide a simple, cheap,

and efficient construction adapted to rmly grip the cable and to beeasily and quickly applied or removed. y

Those familiar with the use of well-drilling machinery are aware thatthe operating-engine is often located remote from the scene ofoperations and that an intermediate cable is employed between the engineand the drilling apparatus. The attachment of the cable to the severalparts or the union of lengths of the cable must be performed withexactitude to secure the best results. In my invention a construction isprovided which permits the cable to be quickly adj usted according tothe necessary or required length, and several adjustments may easily bemade in order to attain this end.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the peculiarconstruction, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, as willbehereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the iigures.

Figure l is a plan view of the preferred form of my cable-coupler, oneof the clamp ing members being partly broken away and the cable beingshown as extending through the coupler. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectionof the coupler shown in Fig. l, the plane of the section being indicatedby the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. l. Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a planView, partly broken away and in section, and a partial longitudinalsection of another embodiment of the invention adapted to the work ofsplicing wire cables together; and Fig. 5 is a plan view illustratinganother embodiment of the invention in which two couplers are adjustablyunited for the purpose of taking up slack in the cables.

I will :first proceed to describe the construction shown by Figs. l and2, referring to which 5 designates the base member of the coupler, whichis provided at one end with an eye or loop 6 and with a raised iiange orshoulder 7. This base member is made or cast in a single piece of metal,so that the eye and the raised shoulder are integral with the plate ofthe member. The shoulder extends transversely across the member betweenthe plate and the eye, and this shoulder is provided `with an inclinedface 8 and with a semicircular recess 9, said inclined face 8 slopingfrom the exposed top edge of the shoulder down to the face of the platewhich forms a part of the member. The recess 9 is located centrally inthe raised shoulder, and one end of said recess opens through the topface of the shoulder. The plate of the base member is provided with acentral longitudinal groove or channel l0, which extends from theshoulder 7 to the opposite end of the plate, the inner end of thelongitudinal channel terminating in an enlargement 11, which hascommunication with the lower inlet end 0f the recess 9, as shown by Fig.2. The enlargement ll between the channels 9 lO is adapted to receivethe doubled or folded portion of the cable when the latter is bent at anangle in order to carry it from the channel l0 to the outside of thecoupling by extending said cable through the opening which is formed bythe channel 9 in one member and the channel l5 in the other member ofthe coupling, as will hereinafter appear. The longitudinal channel isintersected by a series of transverse short channels 12, which arearranged in parallel series practically throughout the length of theplate. 13 designates a removable clamping-plate which forms a companionmember to the plate of the base member, because it conforms to the sizeand shape thereof. This clamping plate or member 13 is provided at oneend with a beveled edge 14, which is adapted to abut against theinclined face S of the shoulder, thus fitting the parts compactlytogether. In the beveled edge of the removable clamping plate ormemberlis provided a recess 15, which is adapted to register or coincidewith the recess 9 in the shoulder 7 of the base member, said registeringrecesses forming an opening through Which an end portion of the cablemay protrude, as shown Said clamping plate or member by Fig. l.

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l V Y it 13 is furthermore provided on its inner face with alongitudinal groove or channel 16 and with transverse recesses orgrooves 17, that intersect with the longitudinal channel. When the plate13 is assembled in matching relation to the plate of the base member,the channels or grooves of the two members are in coincidentrelation,thus allowing the members to firmly grip or clamp a rope orcable between themselves. These members are secured together firmly andadj ustably by a series of bolts 18, which pass through suitableopenings 19 in the members and may be provided with heads and nutsadapted to bear on said members and to draw them firmly together.

An especial advantage of the construction illustrated by Figs. l and 2is that the end of a rope or cable may be carried through the openingformed by the recesses v9 15 in the abutting edges of the two members,thus making provision for the secure and adjustable connection ofone endof a cable to the coupler. The eye 6 of the coupler per-mits anothercable or any other suitable device to be easily attached to the coupler.It is evident that the members 5 13 may be relaxed somewhat in orderthat a cable may be drawn through the channels and the lateral openingprovided in the members, thus allowing the cable to be easily adjustedto the required length.

I will now proceed to describe the construction shown by Figs. 3 and 4of the drawings. In this embodiment of the invention the couplerconsists of the complemental members 20 2l, each of which is cast in asingle piece of metal in form and size corresponding to the other memberand adapted to be secured adj ustably together by the bolts 22, thelatter passing through suitable openings 23, provided in the members.Each member is provided on its inner face with a central cavity 24 andwith a longitudinal groove or channel 25, which is arranged centrallywith respect to the member and is adapted to open into the cavity 24,the latter thus serving to interrupt the continuity of the channel. Saidchannel opens at its ends through the end portions of the coupler plateor member, and each channel is intersected by the transverse vshortgrooves 26. It is evident that the adjacent ends of the two cables orropes which it is desired to couple may be introduced into the channels25 so that the extreme end portions of the cables will occupy thechamber formed by the cavities 24 of the members in the manner shown byFig. 4. The cables are received in the longitudinal channels of themembers, and said members are clamped firmly upon the cables bytightening the bolts 22, whereby the coupler is adapted to serveefficiently as a means for splicing the cables or ropes.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 5 I employ twocouplers, (indicated at 27 28,) each coupletl being substantially of thecharacter heretofore described and shown by Figs. 1 and 2 and by Figs. 3and 4. From the adjacentinner ends of the couplers extend thescrew-threaded rods 29 30, and these rods are threaded to receive aturnbuckle 31. The cables or ropes to be united are individually grippedin the couplers 27 and 28, and these couplers are 'united adjustablytogether by the threaded rods and the turnbuckle, Whereby the distancebetween the couplers may be regulated by the adjust-ment of theturnbuckle, and the slack in the cables may thus be taken up.

Although I have shown and described one member of the coupling as havinga closed eye, as at 6 in Figs. l and 2, I do not desire to limit myselfstrictly to this form of the eye, because it is evident that an open eyeor a hook may be used in lieu of the closed eye, and in some instances Imay substitute a swivel for the closed eye, all as will be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art.

Having thus describedk my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. Acouplerof theclass described comprising separable members provided on their opposingfaces with longitudinal channels, transverse grooves, and cavities oflarger cross-sectional area than the channels and intersecting the same.

2. A coupler of the class described comprising separable membersprovided on their opposing faces with longitudinal registering channels,cavities of larger cross -sectional area than said channels and incommunication therewith, said cavities in the members being disposed inmatching relation, and grooves intersecting with the channelsindependently of the cavities.

3. A coupler of the class described comprising a member provided with ashoulder having a cavity which opens through one face of the member,another member having a cavity arranged to coincide with the cavity ofthe first-named member, channels in said members and in communicationwith the cavities therein; and means for clamping said members together.

4. A cou pler of the class described, comprising a base member having aneye and ashoulder, the latter provided with a recess, a longitudinalchannel in said member and having communication with said recess, acompanion member provided with a channel and with a recess arranged tocoincide respectively with the channel and recess in the base member,and means for laterally clamping the two members together.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

THADDEUS DARLING.

Witnesses:

W. J. HOGE, BERT CArnoN.

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